1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable electronic devices and, more particularly, to a portable electronic device having a camera or other image taking device.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
Portable electronic devices, such as mobile telephones and PDAs, have been provided in the past with a camera for taking digital photographs. However, a problem exists regarding the manufacture of these portable electronic devices with cameras. The devices require individual different camera connection designs to accommodate different positions of the cameras relative to printed wiring boards inside the portable electronic devices. There has not been provided a standardized construction for connecting a camera with a printed wiring board that can be used in multiple different types of designs of portable electronic devices which have their printed wiring boards at different positions inside the portable electronic devices.
There is a problem of how to provide a common camera module in different device models; and especially in device models where device printed wiring boards are located in different positions in a Z direction (relative to an X-Y orientation of the printed wiring board). Product specific cameras and/or connectors for those devices have been manufactured in the past. Those devices have been designed so that a certain camera can fit into a specific device, but cannot be assembled in other designs. This has most probably caused compromises to product construction. This type of individualized device specific connection of cameras to printed wiring boards in different types or configurations of portable electronic devices increases the costs of multiple product lines and increases assembly complexity as well as research and development costs to design the different connections for the different designs.
There is a desire to provide a connection between a camera and a printed wiring board in a portable electronic device which can accommodate location of a module camera unit at various different Z direction positions relative to a printed wiring board to accommodate different designs and types of portable electronic devices. Thus, there is a desire to provide a connection system having common components, such as a common camera module and a common electrical connector, which has a variable or adjustable height connection of the camera module to the electrical connector. This type of variable or adjustable height connection preferably allows location of the camera relative to the printed wiring board at a variety of locations ranging from the printed wiring board being located proximate a rear end of the camera to the printed wiring board being located proximate a front end of the camera.